Friday, May 7, 2010

Azhar Ibrahim deserves the sternest disiplinary action from UMNO and an explusion with no opportunity for membership readmittance should be meted out

Penang opposition leader Azhar Ibrahim yesterday's warning's at the Penang State Assembly that there would be a repeat of the May 13 riots if the people lost confidence in the authorities was most shocking.

His further comment that "the army can take over from the police if the later does not enjoy public support" was equally shocking.

It was also reported he also accused Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng of being anti-Malay and anti-Islamic for his attacks against Umno and Prime Minister Najib Razak and had said " "This is an insult to the Malays, don't you think that there will be no Malay gangsters, or the Barisan Tiga silat group, who will come here and teach those who utter these words a lesson?"

I do not recall any elected representative who has ever so blatantly made such dangerous, irresponsible, extreme and seditious comments in any State Assembly or Parliament meeting.

His remarks are totally unacceptable and deserve the strongest condemnation by all Malaysians.

Azhar's comments have shown that he not only does not understand racial sensitivity, he does not even understand democracy. Or perhaps he has made those comments with the clear intention to threaten others.

In November 2006, Umno had suspended its Bukit Bendera division chief Datuk Ahmad Ismail of his membership rights and stripped him of his posts for three years for making offensive remarks against the Chinese community.

In February this year, Nasir Safar, the special aide to Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak, had to resign his post after making racist remarks against Chinese and Indian ethnic minorities.

Whatever is Azhar's reason and motive for making those remarks in the Penang State Assembly, it is clear that he is not fit to be an elected representative.

Azhar Ibrahim deserves the sternest disciplinary action from Umno and an expulsion with no opportunity for membership readmittance should be meted out.